My Hemmings

Reader's Stories

Stainless Steel Delusion

Many of my friends know that I've lusted for a DeLorean for many years. That desire has been fulfilled. Here's how it happened.

As my retirement allowed me to make good progress toward the completion of my ’55 Studebaker President renovation, my mind was already running ahead to the next project. A second "orphan" car would cure me. I had never even ridden in a DeLorean, much less drove one, so I called on the only man in the world I knew who owned one. Dr. K, a retired local physician. He was gracious and obviously in love with the "D", but wasn't interested in selling it. He would love to give me a ride, even let me drive it, but the "brakes were bad." Just to make sure he remembered to call me, I sent a follow-up letter a couple of weeks later. Months went by and no call.

When I got the Studebaker "finished" (are you ever finished?), I drove it over to Dr. K's house for a visit. Again he received me graciously and loved the Studebaker, but the "D" was gone. A local mechanic had kept it over a year, but couldn't fix the brakes. It was now with a young mechanic who he was sure could fix it.

Many months passed and I thought of calling Dr. K, but hadn't gotten around to it. On break during a day of training, my cell phone rang. It was Dr. K. "You once expressed interest in my DeLorean. Are you still interested?" A resounding "Yes!" flew from my mouth.

He provided an address for me to meet him to see the car. Schriever. My dream car was less than two miles from my house! Eighty-nine year old Dr. K met me at an old barn-like garage. He was very tall and lean. With his white hair he looked a little like the elder John Z. himself. "Can you get it out by tomorrow?" We hadn't even talked money. "I don't know,” I replied. “Let me take a look."

Even in the dim light of the barn-garage, the D was magnificent; it's silver skin glowing warmly in the last rays of sun. But all was not well. I couldn't resist lifting the driver's door, but it didn't stay up. Maybe this once gleaming example of the carmaker's art was embarrassed to show the chaos that lurked inside. Almost every panel had been pried apart and wires, tubes, and cables sprouted everywhere. Vise-grips hung from a cable beneath the dash and the key cylinder had been smashed from it's housing. An old radiator hose protruded from the "trunk" and the lid had been closed on it. It looked like the lid was warped. The most shocking view awaited my opening of the rear sunshade and engine cover. More chaos. Wires and tubing hung limply without their related components. The fuel distributor lay on it's side; it's supply lines extending Medusa-like from the core, the manifold tubes disconnected nearby. "It doesn't run", said Dr. K, stating the obvious.

Undismayed, probably intoxicated, I took the plunge. "Have you thought about how much you want for it?"

"I'd like you to renovate it."

"I'm sorry, Doc. I'm no longer retired and I'm no professional restorer or mechanic. I can't restore this car for you, but I am interested in buying it." He looked confused and frustrated.

A week later, Dr. K called to say that he had discussed it with his wife and would sell the car. He wanted to look on the internet to see how much it was worth. Fair enough, I thought. "Make sure you look at cars that are not running."

Another week. Dr. K called in his price. "I'm sorry, Dr. K. I know you love that car, but we're not in the same ballpark with that price." I made my offer. He'd have to think about it.

Another week. Dr. K called to accept my offer. We passed the sale and now ... the work begins.

Ownership:

I bought this 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 in September of 2005. I’d also bought aftermarket air conditioner parts for my Studebaker and began the process of fitting and installing it rather than immediately starting to work on the DeLorean. Since I had little understanding of how the “D” was put together and no previous knowledge of fuel injection systems, I decided that I had a lot of reading to do anyway.

A chance business trip to Texas permitted a detour to Houston, now world headquarters for DeLorean parts and service. The DeLorean Motor Company (Texas) bought the remaining inventory of DeLorean parts stored in Ohio from a wholesaler who acquired the OEM parts in Ireland when production ceased in 1982. While DMC Texas is a little challenging to locate (businesses two blocks away had no idea who I was asking about), it’s well worth finding. Rows of pre-owned and “re-manufactured” DeLoreans await buyers outside, and rows of well-ordered and inventoried parts do the same inside. It must be nice to focus on a single-issue car, all nearly identical. Staff are very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful, especially President Stephen Wynne and Vice-President James Espey. I was able to pick up a box of parts to begin with (mostly a kit to replace all the water hoses on the 25 year old car). Later I would become good friends with “The Guru” – Warren Wallingford. Warren, the former DMC shop manager, is now the Parts Manager and a sage resource for the DeLorean community.

I ordered a complete support strut kit from another vendor (P.J. Grady), just to test the water and learn about the vendors. Original and replacement DeLorean parts are easy to find and upgrades are constantly being produced.

Two or three weekends later, I decided to find out why the car wouldn’t roll. The answer, as I suspected, was that the brakes were rusted so badly they prevented the rotors from turning. Now there’s a priority item.

As the Christmas holidays approached, I’d still not done much more than replaced the struts to support the hood, doors and sunscreen. I had, however, brought the fuel injection manifold to a machine shop to have a broken bolt removed (a little "gift" from the previous "mechanic"). I think I was dismayed with the amount of damage the last mechanic inflicted on this car and a little intimidated at not knowing how the dismantled and missing parts went back together. Some late night readings and a weekend without predetermined/priority “chores” permitted me to take the plunge to start on repairs. When I’d removed the fuel injection manifold, it revealed several water hoses and vacuum lines that were inaccessible when the car is assembled. I decided that was a good place to start, especially since I had most of the hoses in a box and could easily purchase universal heater hose and vacuum lines. When taking the water pump off, the two bolts securing the thermostat housing twisted off, victims of corrosion that was prompted, I suppose, by the steel/aluminum compatibility problem and our salty South Louisiana humidity. Another trip to the machine shop in the next town. Everything will go back together with “Never Seize.”

I also had time to pull take the fuel pump from the tank area (it was already out of the tank – another “gift” from the previous “mechanic”). While it tested good, I decided to replace it because of some unusual corrosion eating into its side. For the cost of a $100 pump, I didn’t want to risk my safety combining corrosion and an electrical components that is immersed in gasoline (it's kinda scary to consider what my decision would have been if it were a $1,000 pump).

I took advantage of DMC's holiday “free shipping” offer and bought several hundred dollars worth of parts. In January 2006 I started to work on it, but decided to push it out of the garage to wash it first. It looked so good that I then pushed it down the drive and in front of the house and took pictures instead of working on it. A good start I thought.

Epilogue:

January 2007

About one year, several thousands of dollars and many hours of labor later, I was "finished" (are you ever finished?) the renovation. When I did get the engine running, it was solid and the transmission worked okay. What followed were engine and exhaust enhancements, body gaskets, wiring, new sound system, seat covers, dash refurbishing, etc. I have an electronic scrapbook of the renovation, but webspace doesn't permit me to publish it here. I don't recommend anyone buying a car that doesn't run. This one, though, turned out to be a good deal. And now I'm... "Living the Dream."

Marrh 2008

Progress on mechanical details and repairs continued over the past year or so. The transmission began shifting erratically and required two repairs to the “computer governor.” A friend with an engineering degree and lots of electronics knowledge helped to diagnose and repair failed components in the circuit board – a fun project.

In January I decided to remove the headers and performance exhaust system to better compete in AACA national events (scored on original condition). That decision paid off this month at the AACA Winter National Meet in Melbourne, Florida where we merited a national first place award in class 35b.